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how many iexplore.exe

How many iexplore.exe should be running at one time?
Sometimes there are 4 or 5 displayed in the windows task manager.
Recently, it seems that iexplore.exe will frequently use most of the available system memory.
Any information or links to iexplore.exe that will help my understanding of this process would be appreciated.
Thanks

If you have IE options set to open new tabs in the same process, your system is likely infected. Otherwise, as Broni says each tab opens an additional process.

I have IE8 set to open tabs...but what do you mean "in the same process." I looked at the options under settings for how web pages are displayed with tabs, but I didn't see anything about "in same process" or otherwise. Can you advise?

I do believe it is possible I have an infection although I have run numerous virus scans including Norton, Malwarebytes, Super Anti Spyware Pro, Nortons' Eraser and I continuously update and clean caches, etc. However, it is an old computer and it has had many opportunities to pick up some malware. I have also had RSIT, Avenger, and Hijackthis run with assistance. NOthing serious found. Someoen wanted to run COMBOFIX, but others advise against it.

My computer runs well most of the time, it just seems that recently something has been using iexplore.exe and using all available memory. What else besides the IE browser uses that process? thanks

If you have IE options set to open new tabs in the same process, your system is likely infected. Otherwise, as Broni says each tab opens an additional process.

I have IE8 set to open tabs...but what do you mean "in the same process." I looked at the options under settings for how web pages are displayed with tabs, but I didn't see anything about "in same process" or otherwise. Can you advise?

I do believe it is possible I have an infection although I have run numerous virus scans including Norton, Malwarebytes, Super Anti Spyware Pro, Nortons' Eraser and I continuously update and clean caches, etc. However, it is an old computer and it has had many opportunities to pick up some malware. I have also had RSIT, Avenger, and Hijackthis run with assistance. NOthing serious found. Someoen wanted to run COMBOFIX, but others advise against it.

My computer runs well most of the time, it just seems that recently something has been using iexplore.exe and using all available memory. What else besides the IE browser uses that process? thanks

The process is the instance of iexplorer.exe that you see in task manager. If you see it in there twice, that's two processes. If you see it four times, that's four processes.